Karen Chukhadzhian stops Mafauad early
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Ukrainian boxer of Armenian descent Karen Chukhadzhian confidently returned to the winning track with a second-round knockout victory over Argentina’s Joel Marcos Mafauad. The bout took place on October 11 in Riga, Latvia, and served as the main event of the boxing night broadcast live on DAZN.
From the opening bell, Chukhadzhian (26–3, 14 KOs) fought aggressively, setting a high pace. In the second round, a barrage of powerful punches sent Mafauad (13–2, 5 KOs) to the canvas. Although the Argentine got up, the referee stopped the fight at 1:23, ruling he was unable to continue.
This victory marked Chukhadzhian’s first stoppage in nearly two years — his previous knockout win came in October 2023 against Pietro Rossetti. After suffering two losses to American Jaron Ennis, the Armenian fighter reestablished himself in the welterweight division, capturing two vacant regional titles.
Currently ranked top 6 by the IBF and top 4 by the WBO, Chukhadzhian hopes to soon return to world title contention.